x
Breaking News
More () »

State traces President Biden's roots through Lackawanna County in new self-guided tour

The tour features stops at Biden's childhood home and his favorite places to grab a bite to eat, among other notable sites.

SCRANTON, Pa. — On Election Day in 2020, Joe Biden visited his childhood home in the Green Ridge section of Scranton.

Now, the president's former home on North Washington Avenue is the first stop on Joe and Jill: A Biden Trail.

The state's tourism office created a self-guided tour. It has five stops in Lackawanna County, including Biden's favorite sandwich shop, Hank's Hoagies.

"It was crazy today. We had a hard time keeping up, you know? People kept calling and calling. In fact, we had to take the phone off the hook for a little bit, which we don't like to do. But, hey, it's great publicity," Hank's Hoagies owner Tom Owens said.

Other stops on the tour include Biden's former church and grade school - Saint Paul's. It also features Green Ridge Little League, where a picture of young Joe Biden is in the clubhouse.

The last stop on the tour here in Lackawanna County is Manning's Dairy Farm in North Abington Township, where people can grab a Biden favorite - a scoop of ice cream.

Owner Paul Manning said he's already gotten some calls from tourists looking to stop by the farm. The president's go-to ice cream here is mint chocolate chip.

"When he was young, maybe eight or nine years old, he was from the area. He knows the area. So, I think it could generate some interest that would be very positive," Manning said.

The hospitality industry saw a huge dip in sales during the pandemic. The Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau hopes this trail draws in more tourists.

"It's about economic development. It's about helping small businesses that, especially during Covid tourism hospitality has been hit so hard, so our local restaurants, our hotels benefiting from any promotion is great for us," Executive director Curt Camoni said.

Joe and Jill: A Biden Trail continues on in the Philadelphia area. 

For a full list of all the stops, click here.

Before You Leave, Check This Out